WEEK 29 DEVOTIONAL ON PRAYER
“HINDRANCES TO PRAYER”

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
I Peter 3-7

Prayers can be hindered. The enemy will do all he can to impede, obstruct, prevent, block, restrain, and frustrate effective prayer.  Hindrances to prayer are a reality every person of prayer must be aware of and watchful for every time they pray. Prayer is too important and significant to allow anything to hinder it.

Some have even translated this verse with the stronger expression of “cut off.” The word for hinder used here is a verb that literally means, “to block”. It is used for making a road impassable by means of barricades or potholes. It is the responsibility of every person of prayer to watch for the potholes that get in the way of prayer. Each person of prayer must make sure their prayers get through and are not blocked by their own actions.

In this verse, the hindrances to prayer being addressed center around relationships and unity. The context implies that when our relationship with God is not right, our relationships with others are not right. Prayer cannot be isolated from our relationship with God or from our relationships with others. Our relationship with God impacts our relationships with others, and our relationships with others can impact our prayer life.
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How we live out our relationship with our mates matters to God. Our home life can be a hindrance to our prayer life. Two cannot join in prayer if they are not agreed and the one voice protests against the other. Our attitude towards our mates and the way we treat each other can get in the way of prayer.  An effective prayer life really does flow out of effective and meaningful relationships with others. The spiritual principle here, which extends beyond the husband/wife relationship, is that for prayer to reach the throne of God, those who pray must be right with others. (Matt. 5:24,18:15).